People and goods need to be able to move around Blackpool easily. Large numbers of visitors come to enjoy the resort's attractions and it's important that they can park their car or arrive at a good quality railway station or coach park, and then find their way around. Transport in Blackpool must be managed carefully to minimise congestion and preserve the resort's look and feel, particularly during the main tourism season.
The resort’s transport policies are set out in the Local Transport Plan Strategy, a forward thinking strategy covering the five years 2011 – 2016, developed by the Council's Transport Policy Team. Look at this page's FAQs to find what's happening about different kinds of transport. An Implementation Plan, describing how its transport objectives will be achieved, complements the Strategy.
Local Transport Plan funding is used to invest in transport, repair the roads and support regeneration, including the Blackpool Tramway upgrade project. The Transport Policy Team works with public transport operators, including Network Rail, to discuss how to achieve the best possible bus, rail and coach services for the resort.
The LTP's companion document, Blackpool's Bus Strategy, outlines the Council's policies towards the bus industry and its aspirations to increase bus ridership and effect modal shift from car to bus trips, in order to tackle congestion.
Transport policy is intended to promote equality and help people live their lives and contribute to society to the maximum possible extent. An Equalities Impact Assessment has been prepared for the LTP strategy, its findings being considered as the works programme progresses.
Blackpool’s Transport Policy Team help achieve local, regional and national transport objectives. It works with Lancashire County Council and NHS Blackpool to control congestion, reduce pollution, cut road deaths and promote active lifestyles.
The Council is also a partner within the five European region SINTROPHER (Sustainable Integrated Tram-Based Transport Options for Peripheral European Regions) project, which is looking at ways to improve access to peripheal EU areas using light rail tachnology. This project benefits from 7.2m Euro from the European Union Interreg IVB initiative. Look at the SINTROPHER project website for more information: http://sintropher.eu/fyldecoast/ In the Fylde Coast, the project builds on Blackpool's tramway reconstruction, considering ways of further supporting the local economy by improving light rail accessibility.
Effective transport facilities are crucial to Blackpool’s regeneration as a world-class holiday destination and a great place to live. It's essential that these facilities can adapt to changing economic and environmental circumstances such as possible rising fuel prices and the onset of global warming effects.
|